Women In The Cipher Spy Ring

In the book Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence, Carol Berkin examines the revolutionary war putting more focus on the diverse role of women from all cultures, ethnicity, and classes in the battle for independence which lasted for about 8 years. The war did not acknowledge the gap between home front and battlefield (Berkin, 2005). The author of this book examines this war based on the views of women who were willingly or unwillingly caught at the hub of a violent conflict. This essay examines how women exercise their limited political power to assist their preferred political side through the course of the revolutionary efforts.

Women took a more active role in the revolutionary process and rendered themselves useful in society (Henretta, 2009). Women’s status in the family, society, and politics had long been a subject of argument. The rights women had during this time were an issue for years. Women were viewed as “subordinate to males’ and were subject to laws and regulations imposed by men. However, the role of women and their political, economic, and social rights shifted greatly because of the revolution. Because they were responsible for marrying, raising families, and performing the duties of diligent wives and mothers, they took action and pursued to support the revolution. Women resolved to contribute to the liberation of their

Women are an essential, though often overlooked, aspect of every stage of world history. They contributed the growth of civilizations and the births of nations. The American Revolution was the pinnacle point of a tumultuous and changing world. People’s lives were thrown into turmoil as the war began on their doorsteps. One focal point amidst so much chaos was women. As men went off to battle, women embraced their changing lives in many ways. Most women stayed home, carrying on as best as possible, others followed their husbands on the warpath, and some brave women even joined the fight for independence.

The encapsulating, heart renching stories behind each womans history is one that is effervescent, and resounding today in every ethnic culture, and understatedly in tomorrows society. Stories of thirteen year old girls, and wives being raped, tradgedy of husbands dying, never ending struggles for social equality, the felonies of racial disparagies, predudices, and abuse. These women also alternated between provider roles of cook, launderer, companion, housekeeper, child bearer, educator, councilor, and fought for the Revolutionary cause wether via a social voice or, physically in battle, and much much more. Ironically, some of the women were abused by their companions and raped by opossing armies (and these women

Women of the Republic, is a non-fiction book written off of the finding of women’s journals and other personal recordings in the eighteenth century. Linda K. Kerber is the author of the book; she is an American Feminist historian and also an educator who specializes in the democratic mind in America and also the history of women in America. The book is drawn from the direct testimony of women from letters, diaries, and legal records. Women of the Republic describes: women’s participation in the war, evaluates changes in women’s education in the late eighteenth century, and analyzes their status in law and society.

They also give insight about their roles after the fight. Comparing the two, there is minimal change. The same problem continued to persist for the women although they had showed their abilities when helping the soldiers. The people in power had only given them hope which motivated them to do their part. The government was slow in granting the women some of the rights they were seeking. The government changed some laws to reduce the women’s fight for their rights. The right to vote is an example of how the government or rather some states countered the women’s fight for their rights. The revolution changed little in that it only gave them the motivation to fight for themselves. Some of the rights the women were granted was the right to own property. It is therefore clear that the American Revolution never gave the women a long lasting solution to their grievances. They were only accorded the privileges so that they could help their men during the

As time passed by, women capitalized on their collaboration to win respect and rights in the Mexican states. In “WOMEN AND THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION, 1910-1920” by Anna Macias, she states the struggles women went through during the revolution and the feminist movement. Macias states that “most historians of that epic struggle have ignored the active role of

Women helped during this time because they produced goods for the soldiers, some of them became nurses to help, and some spied on the British. The article demonstrated that “Before 1776, women did not participate enough in conflict over land, religion, taxes, local politics, or commercial transaction.” It showed that the revolution gave them a little freedom to participate in the social affairs.

Although the American Revolution is often presented as an uncomplicated success story and the triumph of freedom and liberty, for women, slaves, and Native Americans, this was far from the case. During the American Revolution, women were strong supporters of revolutionary activity in many capacities. Women worked as seamstresses, nurses, and even as spies (Faragher et al 2009: 159). Women demonstrated their competency and autonomy from males when they took over the running of farms and businesses when males were serving in the Revolutionary army. These were striking, practical, real-life examples of how the idea of female incompetence was in error. Women published political satire and letters from the period demonstrate how women were critically engaged in a thoughtful manner about politics and what it meant to be free and independent. Women served on the front lines, offering food and supplies to soldiers and many later received pensions and acclaim for their efforts. However, none of these initiatives were enough to motivate the Founding Fathers to give women the right to vote even white, propertied women. In their eyes, all men were created equal (Faragher et al 2009: 160).

Women have determined the course of events and the forms of human culture. Women originated, founded, governed, prophesized, created great art, fought for our rights, and for our people. Female boldness had in many societies been required simply to defend personal liberty and self-determination, carving out space to act in spite of patriarchal constraints, to become what the English called “a woman at her own commandment.” These women were edited out of history, their stories omitted, distorted and replaced with men. Women have been relocated to the footnotes of history, and even those highly selective (Dahsu, Max

In the French Revolution the women played a part in a lot of the war,(Women and the Revolution), but almost every time they were involved it ended with controversy such as the time the women march on the palace of Versailles. The women were upset that they didn’t have bread to feed their families. On October 4, 1789 the women march toward Versailles and they demanded to see the baker, his wife and their son. The King promised to meet some of the ladies and give them all the bread in the palace. Before that happened The National guard came to take the king back to France for fear of his safety. The Queen who was Marie Antoinette barely escaped. The king compromised and said he would speak to the women on the balcony of the palace. He said “My friends, I will return to Paris with my wife and children.” This was the last time that the king would see Versailles (Women’s March). In the American Revolution women took an active role in the war. Most women in this time were wives and daughters of soldiers. The women who had a constant presence in the camps were known as “camp Followers” One of the most famous women during the Revolution was a lady named Deborah Sampson. She wanted to avoid working in sweat shops and doing hard labor on the farm her family owned that she pretended to be a man in order to go into the army.(Women during the American Revolution).

The roles that women have played in history are worthy of recognition. In most time periods, the men are the main topics of history. Throughout time, women have contributed to society and families behind the scenes. They kept the household together while the men were away. From spiritual support to loving and taking care of children. A woman’s nature is unique and truly special. No man could fully replace the qualities that a woman can bring to the table. This is why the images presented in this paper will reflect women fulfilling important roles.

Unfortunately, women today are continually subjected to inequities across the world. What is even more concerning is that reform has started over two hundred years ago and is still left unfinished today. During the French Revolution, France was subject to immense debt and instability due to a corrupt government and new enlightment ideas. At the same time, women objected to many aspects of the revolution, but their participation was viewed strictly contentiously. Some women like Mary Wollstonecraft and Olympe De Gouges were courageous enough to combat against the male dominated society.

Many women were involved in the uncertainty of women's rights during the French Revolution between the years of 1789 and 1804. Exploration of the unfolding struggles of France managed to turn my head in the direction of woman's rights more than once in my discovery. Perhaps because of the persistence of the women during this time period and their straight forwardness in their mission, was I so determined to see a positive progression in the fulfillment of their needs. "Even during a revolutionary time like this, equal rights for women seemed out of reach. Women had to struggle for a position in the revolution" (Ajaibu 2001, 1).

Women have held essential roles in society for centuries. In the beginning of most civilizations and colonies in the U.S., women were seen as inferiors to men, but over time women slowly gained more rights and became of more importance to society. Women started out as being viewed as subordinate beings who were to be useful by tending to families, the household, and gather and prepare food. Soon, with wars and other conflicts, women took on tasks thought to be “men’s work”, such as acting as nurses and taking care of family businesses when their husbands were away. In the time leading up to the first women’s rights movements in the eighteen hundreds, women were traditionally viewed as inferior, but with each decade their roles would evolve in the different tasks they were expected to do, and how they were treated and viewed socially and politically. Women’s roles in the time period of sixteen hundred to eighteen sixty-five have evolved significantly from their beginnings as housewives, to taking part in wars and revolutions, to the beginning of the women’s rights movements in early eighteen hundreds.